Really interesting results, thanks for sharing. Something I noted during a podcast talking to the vermi-tea guy from Rodale, was DNA analysis compared between vermi-compost tea and the same source compost as an extract, the extract had orders of magnitude greater bacterial diversity than the tea, it seems tea brewing just boosts specific groups at the expense of others. I started brewing AACT in 2011, I've switched to extract (with added food for in furrow application) for the last 2 yrs since seeing the DNA data. Throwing some compost in a bucket and mixing it up with a paint stirrer for 60 seconds is way simpler and less labour intensive than brewing tea with microscopic analysis to check it's going well!
My exact thought I'd assume the control would just be water. So this experiment essentially tests, nutrients vs water. If you want to test the "microbes" , you should have 5 plots. 1 water 1 compost tea 1 compost extract 1 compost tea (from above, but the sterilized to kill bacteria) 1 compost extract (but then made sterile) This same experiment was done with KNF IMO4. While IMO4 was better than no IMO4, they also sterilized the IMO4 in another plot and saw no difference between IMO4 and sterile IMO4. "Science"
This is rather strange organic grouing experiment - not using mulch. Without mulch it could not provide added with extract soil biology sustaining conditions
The variable of pest pressure may alter your results. The proper test for ONLY nutrient additives (compost etc) should be done using identical soil containers under grow lights indoors. This video is more like a high school student project.
Without a doubt, we definitely saw numerous ways to improve the trial on the next go-around. Having said this, growing indoors presents its own challenges in terms of unique bacterial and fungal pressures not seen outdoors. In terms of the level of sophistication, it takes real time to learn about identifying protozoa and brewing good tea per experts like Elaine Ingham. We wanted to see what happened in the outdoors but definitely are hearing you on the benefits of an indoor trial. Specific to pests, it's worth noting that we saw an improvement across all five crops even though the onions, lettuce, and beets were not subject to any notable pest pressure. Thanks for your comment.
The nutrient component is secondary to the biological. This is an in situ trial not a scientific experiment so your critique appears to be some version of a straw man fallacy.
Хобби
thank you!
Really interesting results, thanks for sharing. Something I noted during a podcast talking to the vermi-tea guy from Rodale, was DNA analysis compared between vermi-compost tea and the same source compost as an extract, the extract had orders of magnitude greater bacterial diversity than the tea, it seems tea brewing just boosts specific groups at the expense of others. I started brewing AACT in 2011, I've switched to extract (with added food for in furrow application) for the last 2 yrs since seeing the DNA data. Throwing some compost in a bucket and mixing it up with a paint stirrer for 60 seconds is way simpler and less labour intensive than brewing tea with microscopic analysis to check it's going well!
Why no mulch? If a hot climate/season mulch is a no brainer
did the control have fertilizer applied?
My exact thought
I'd assume the control would just be water.
So this experiment essentially tests, nutrients vs water.
If you want to test the "microbes" , you should have 5 plots.
1 water
1 compost tea
1 compost extract
1 compost tea (from above, but the sterilized to kill bacteria)
1 compost extract (but then made sterile)
This same experiment was done with KNF IMO4. While IMO4 was better than no IMO4, they also sterilized the IMO4 in another plot and saw no difference between IMO4 and sterile IMO4.
"Science"
This is rather strange organic grouing experiment - not using mulch. Without mulch it could not provide added with extract soil biology sustaining conditions
The variable of pest pressure may alter your results. The proper test for ONLY nutrient additives (compost etc) should be done using identical soil containers under grow lights indoors. This video is more like a high school student project.
Without a doubt, we definitely saw numerous ways to improve the trial on the next go-around. Having said this, growing indoors presents its own challenges in terms of unique bacterial and fungal pressures not seen outdoors. In terms of the level of sophistication, it takes real time to learn about identifying protozoa and brewing good tea per experts like Elaine Ingham. We wanted to see what happened in the outdoors but definitely are hearing you on the benefits of an indoor trial. Specific to pests, it's worth noting that we saw an improvement across all five crops even though the onions, lettuce, and beets were not subject to any notable pest pressure. Thanks for your comment.
I disagree. I think this is a fantastic real world test.
Chris, your full of criticism but where are you experiments?
The nutrient component is secondary to the biological. This is an in situ trial not a scientific experiment so your critique appears to be some version of a straw man fallacy.